(a) Field of the Invention
This invention is concerned with improvements in/or relating to footwear and relates particularly to the means of fastening an article of footwear on the foot of a person and the removal of the article of footwear after use.
(B) Description of the Prior Art
At present it is common for articles of footwear, such as shoes and boots for example, to have, forming part of the upper portion of the article of footwear, two lacing flaps either side of and overlapping the tongue of the article of footwear. Each of these flaps is usually provided with a number of eyes through which a lace is threaded. To fasten the article of footwear on the foot of a person the lace is first tensioned to draw the flaps together somewhat so that the article of footwear is a firm but comfortable fit on the foot and the lace is then tied in a bow. To remove the article of footwear the lace is untied and with the tension on the lace released the flaps can be separated sufficiently to enable the article of footwear to be removed from the foot of the person. It is often an inconvenience with this method of fastening an article of footwear that the laces wear with time and break or inadvertently become undone and it was with this problem in mind that the present invention was devised.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 228,946 and 3,262,167 describe and illustrate two fastenings for footwear which do not require laces to be used. However the shoe fastening of Specification No. 228,946 allows only a single connection to be made between the fastening and each lacing flap which may be a disadvantage in adequately and comfortably securing the footwear on a foot and the fastening of Specification 3,262,167 has a large number of parts which must be made separately and then assembled, this resulting in a relatively expensive product.